function init() {
    // initialize the Email Reminder link with the
    // current document's url
    //
    document.getElementById('email_reminder').innerHTML
        = "<a href='http://www.logicalpoetry.com/cgi-bin/remind?href="
        + location.href
        + "'>Email Reminder</a>"
        ;
    // set the upcoming date's background to a dark yellow
    //
    var dt = new Date();
    var y = dt.getFullYear();
    var m = dt.getMonth()+1;        // zero based
    var d = dt.getDate();
    var today = 10000*y + 100*m + d;
    for (var i = 0; i < dates.length; ++i) {
        if (dates[i] >= today) {
            document.getElementById('r' + i).style.background = '#ffff88';
            return;
        }
    }
    return;     // season is over
}
